7 Core Reasons Why Yoga Supports Your Prosperity!

28 Apr 7 Core Reasons Why Yoga Supports Your Prosperity!

Thank you Carra Bollard for being an extraordinary Guest Blogger for us here at Prosperity Begins At 40 Community! ! I am so happy to introduce you to Carra as her work has supported me to really step into my full potential! Carra has become one of my dearest of friends and teachers.

Up until 18 months ago I had never fully participated in a yoga practice. Now according to Carra I have a pretty mean ‘downward dog’ going on! When I first started yoga I was suffering a lot of pain in my joints, feeling tired and lethargic. Nothing was really helping me to feel better until I started a well structured and stabilized yoga practice with her.

Carra has guided me with her holistic and intergrated style of exercise, yoga, nutrition and health tips that have given me more energy, focus and determination! Not to mention a bit of a new ‘booty’ happening! I turn 50 in a few months, so a new ‘booty’ sounds just perfect to me! Thank you for the blog this month Carra, we look forward to hearing a lot more from you in the future!

The practice of yoga is a method used to improve your mindset, health and entire quality of life. It facilitates in the discovery of your soul’s calling or your life’s ‘mission’ as its teachings encourage you to abandon all the external ‘ white noise’ of distraction or proving your worth. Underneath all of this external disarray, the answer to your journey becomes clear. From this space, yoga then gives you the foundation and confidence to strive in the direction of your truth, finding your prosperity and enjoying it to your full capacity!

There lays a plethora of reasons to support this statement (and the science to uphold it) so here are a few:

1. YOGA changes your mindset. Yoga philosophy teaches its students to abandon negative thoughts and focus on their supportive ones. During a yoga practice, the power of concentration on the breath and meditating on sensations (without drifting off into thoughts) enable the students to find a sense of ‘mindfulness”. This state of calmness has repetitively been proven to profoundly affect EVERY aspect of our lives- our bodies, our minds, our physical health, and our emotional and spiritual well-being’ (Arianna Huffington, Thrive)

Further more, as Doctor Norm Shealy teaches , as you practice mindfulness you cultivate a healthier energy which has a higher frequency vibration. Quantum physics demonstrates that like attracts like, so positive attitude and positive energy attracts positive experiences and results.

2. YOGA gives you a sense of vitality through cleansing the body of toxins. If left untreated, toxins suppress the energy flow to the vital organs, as it has to expend its energy on trying to process and eliminate the poison. Toxins are a form of chemical stress, which, like all other forms of stress, cause disease. The use of twisted and bending postures squeezes the organs to emphasise digestion and elimination so the body is not only excreting the waste more efficiently, but also absorbing nutrients more readily.

Once you have a healthy body and mind, through practicing yoga, your level of vitality enables you to be able to maintain the level of energy and stamina to successfully and ease-fully manage multiple projects and ultimately, enjoy your prosperity.

3. YOGA philosophy teaches its students the idea of ‘non-reaction’, which in turn, enhances your ability to deal with stress. We all know that all kinds of stress cause disease. ‘Women in particular are paying an even bigger price for their participation in a work culture fuelled by sleep deprivation, stress and burnout’ (Arianna Huffington). Women in highly stressed jobs have a ‘40% increased risk of heart disease and 60% increased risk for diabetes’. This is astonishing, however it is the reality of our worldwide epidemic of burnout. Yoga reduces our reaction to ALL types of stress, therefore reducing these frightening risks and supports us as entrepreneurial woman, to keep our calm in order to make more prosperous decisions.

4. YOGA improves your posture. Through stretching tight muscles that are hindering movement and strengthening all of the muscles that keep you stable and strong, you improve your posture. Once you can stand up tall with ease and grace, you exude a sense of confidence. This attitude is imperative for success and high performance in sport, work and life!

5. YOGA keeps you in your ‘observing self’ as opposed to ‘thinking self’. Doctor Russ Harris describes the ‘observing self’ is part of human psychology that is responsible for maintaining a state of ‘mindfulness’. Contrary to this, the ‘thinking self’ propagates stories, emotional reaction and drama into our life, which frequently spirals into anxiety, depression, anger, low self-esteem, self-doubt and insecurity. These are all the opposite values to that which we hold for a prosperous life. By assimilating this sense of ‘mindfulness’ into every day life, including our business, we are able to see situations for their exact truth, and not contaminate it with our irrational ‘drama’, which only creates dissolution and stress.

6. YOGA improves your bodies’ innate ability to heal itself. Arianna Huffington says – “yoga and meditation switches on genes that are related to augmenting the immune system, reducing inflammation, and fighting a range of conditions from arthritis to high blood pressure and diabetes”. The improvements in the immune system are extremely fascinating thanks to the substantial reduction in the stress hormones adrenalin and cortisol. The more resilient the body is through a strong immune system, the less risk of lost time from sickness and disease and the more quality time will be available to enjoy your prosperity.

The postures that are exercised in a yoga routine also support all of the other major organs and physiological systems within the human body. This in turn allows for a clear flow of ‘life energy’ to keep the body and mind youthful. The incorporation of inversions (headstand, shoulder stand ) specifically generates a flooding of the pituitary and pineal gland with fresh nourishing blood. These glands are responsible for the major hormones production and secretion; therefore if they have optimal function, they ensure that all of the body’s hormones are balanced and this is turn keeps our attitude positive and motivated. These aspects of our mindset are PARAMOUNT to creating a prosperous life.

7. After a period of time engaging in a regular yoga practice, participants often begin to have more consideration for other areas of their health. Once they begin to experience all of the wonderful positive side affects of that which yoga gives, its like they become ‘addicted’ to feeling good. They notice that if they eat a poor diet they feel terrible, yet when they choose to eat nutritious food, they feel amazing their practice. Yoga teachers often quote this as ‘you start to let “the yoga do you,” as opposed to us simply “doing yoga”.

Some examples of what some leading health experts and scientists say about yoga:

– Science daily says “yoga is thought to prevent specific diseases and maladies by keeping the energy meridians open and having life energy (prana) flowing. It also states that yoga has been used to‘lower blood pressure, reduce stress, improve coordination and flexibility, concentration, sleep and digestion”.

– Wikipedia says -“yoga can improve quality of life and has been shown to be especially beneficial to back pain, stress and depression.”

-Harvard students found – ‘yoga and meditation are tools for us to enable swimming in difficult waters”

-Doctor Richard Usatine claimed that “yoga can be as important as any medication, this is a lifestyle change, it is a way to improve your quality of life”

Yoga is an amazing tool to not only exercise the body to keep you fit and healthy, but it facilitates the exercising of the mind. If the psyche of the entrepreneur is motivated, focused, energised, strong and confident, you can achieve ANYTHING that you put your mind and heart to. You develop the faith that you CAN succeed, you CAN make all your dreams and wishes come true, you CAN create your own prosperity and live a happy, rewarding and loving life.

With 14 years of experience in the health and wellness industry, Carra initiated her studies by graduating with a Bachelor of Exercise Science at Wollongong University. In 2003 she began her career in the fitness industry, specialising in rehabilitation and exercise therapy for special populations. Through many years of study and commitment to helping others, Carra has built a successful and thriving exercise therapy business within one of Australia’s most prominent health clubs. It was during this time Carra discovered her exceptional ability as a teacher and leader in her industry. Carras true talents as a healer and teacher truly started to shine when she embarked on a journey in yoga. This not only gave her the skill to nourish herself but also to become a powerful healer which she passes on in every moment, to her clients, students and apprentices. This gift of healing and the exchange of love and compassion that Carra shares, with all around her, is a life-changing experience.

Cara opened her first yoga studio in the North Gold Coast in 2011. From this moment on Carra has worked towards her passion in the development of in-house health and wellness retreats in yoga- retreat heaven, Mount Warning Northern NSW. This chapter of her journey has allowed Carra to identify the needs of the busy working woman and the importance of stress-management and holistic healing.